{"id":27476,"date":"2021-01-21T16:49:51","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T16:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=27476"},"modified":"2021-01-21T16:49:53","modified_gmt":"2021-01-21T16:49:53","slug":"an-attack-on-one-is-an-attack-on-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=27476","title":{"rendered":"‘An attack on one is an attack on all’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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More than 350 DHL staff at Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dartford regional distribution centre are being balloted for industrial action after a Unite representative\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0098completely unjustified\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 suspension for representing a member of staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ballot comes after a number of incidents of attempted \u00e2\u20ac\u0098union busting\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 at DHL sites across the country. Unite, the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leading union, believes the deterioration of industrial relations is linked to DHL\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s management \u00e2\u20ac\u0098testing the waters during the uncertainty of the pandemic to see if union activity, and the protections it affords staff, can be weakened\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dartford Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s regional distribution ballot was called after a Unite steward, who was providing support to a member of staff during an investigation hearing, was suspended for challenging a DHL managers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 version of events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason given for the suspension by the manager was that the Unite steward was being aggressive \u00e2\u20ac\u201c an accusation flatly contradicted by a neutral member of staff who was present at the meeting as a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December, DHL managers called police \u00e2\u20ac\u0098at least 10 times\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to a peaceful picket line in the Croxeth area of Liverpool. The picket line was made up of DHL workers on the Burton Biscuits contract, who are striking over low pay, victimisation of workers and the complete collapse of industrial relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DHL union reps have also been targeted or disregarded at other sites in Halewood, Merseyside, and Solihull, West Midlands, in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite regional officer Phil Silkstone said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bDHL HGV drivers, clerks and warehouse operatives at Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dartford warehouse are being balloted for industrial action. This is in response to the completely unjustified suspension of a Unite steward for representing a staff member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe baseless accusation of aggression by a single manager used to carry out the suspension has been flatly contradicted by a neutral staff member who was present at the meeting,” he added. “Unfortunately, the suspension is the not the first instance at the Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s site where union members have been targeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAn attack on one is an attack on all and our DHL Dartford members are keenly aware that should this be allowed to stand it will herald further attempts to erode employment standards and worker protections at the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s will not be pleased to learn they are facing potential disruption to their supply chain in the run up to the Easter period, which will affect the availability of chocolate eggs and other Easter provisions, because of DHL\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s anti-union agenda,” Silkstone continued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite would much prefer an amicable relationship with DHL and does not want to witness empty shelves at Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stores, so we urge the company to see sense, get around the table and revoke this unfounded suspension.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite national officer Matt Draper said, “A recent change in the management structure at DHL has led to a number of worrying incidents at different sites where union reps and staff have been targeted. Before this recent trend of attempted union busting, Unite had, on the whole, a constructive relationship with DHL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe believe the breakdown in industrial relations is due to a new approach by management, who seem to be testing the waters during the uncertainty of the pandemic to see if union activity, and the protections it affords to staff, can be weakened,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTo our members this can only be seen as a prelude to attempts erode pay, terms and conditions. DHL’s national leadership should be aware that Unite will under no circumstances let this happen. We urge the company to press reset so both the union and the company can go back to working productively for the best interests of staff.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Ryan Fletcher<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 350 DHL staff at Sainsbury\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dartford regional distribution centre are being balloted for industrial action after a Unite representative\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0098completely unjustified\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 suspension for representing a member of staff. The ballot comes after a number of incidents of attempted \u00e2\u20ac\u0098union busting\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 at DHL sites across the country. Unite, the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leading union, believes the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[1503,732,785,1169],"wps_subtitle":"DHL Dartford strike ballot over suspended union rep mirrors company-wide \u00e2\u20ac\u0098union busting\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, says Unite","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27476"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27476"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27478,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27476\/revisions\/27478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}